Wild Dream (8 page)

“This time. What about the next full moon? Or the one after that? Will I live the rest of my life on holy ground during full moons?”

“We’ll find a way to end this.”

“Do Voodoo priestesses reverse their curses often?” she asked skeptically. But she already knew the answer.

“We Chiassons and LaRues can be very convincing.”

“It’s not just my life. It’s everyone else’s that gets in the way of Kane killing me. And let’s not forget Kane. He didn’t ask for this curse, and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to be a werewolf forever or have his family hunt him down.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Lincoln said again.

She placed her hand on his jaw, the scrape of whiskers prickling her palm. “Such conviction.”

“You act surprised by it.”

If he only knew the type of men she worked with. They were good attorneys, but she doubted a single one of them could do what Lincoln did. “I believe you would do everything you could to save both Kane and me, whatever the cost to you.”

“I’m willing to pay it.”

“I’m not willing to let you. Your family needs you.”

He covered her hand with his. “It’s not your decision to make.”

“I could step off this holy land and end it now.”

Lincoln’s brow furrowed deeply. “You would do that to yourself and Kane?”

“I’m saying I could. Not that I will.”

“So you’d consider ending your own life, but not kissing me again?”

The pain in his eyes was too much for her. Ava threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down. His lips moved over hers with skill and passion that set her ablaze.

This kiss was intense, savage in the need that pushed both of them. He backed her to the tree and pressed his body against hers. She moaned at the feel of his arousal. He wrapped her hair around his fist and held her head as he plundered her mouth. He robbed her of thought, deprived her of breath.

And she wanted more.

“Tell me you don’t want this,” he said as he kissed down her neck. “Tell me you don’t want me.”

“I can’t.” She clung to him, her body raging with a fire that only Lincoln could put out. “I won’t.”

He held her head between his hands. Her lids lifted to find his gaze pinning hers. “Try to deny it again, and I’ll kiss you until you remember.”

“Promise.”

Desire flared in his bright blue eyes. “Fuck, yes.”

“Stop talking and kiss me,” Ava demanded as she yanked his head back down.

No sooner had their lips met than Kane began to growl and snap his huge jaws. Ava had forgotten about Kane and the threat to her life in those few precious moments in Lincoln’s arms.

Lincoln chuckled as he backed away from her. “I don’t think my dear cousin is at all happy with what we were doing.”

Ava looked down at herself to see the sweat and grime. She couldn’t let Lincoln have sex with her looking like this. It wasn’t just the dirt, she was pretty sure she smelled.
 

“What did I just promise you?” Lincoln threatened.

Ava motioned at herself with her hands. “Look at me! I’m disgusting. We’ll have to wait.”

“Wait?” Lincoln asked with a raised brow. “Because of a little dirt.”

“I smell.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “In case you haven’t noticed, I do, too.”

“I can’t smell you, and you look good covered in sweat.” Too damn good, actually. It should be against the law for a man to look that hot while she felt so repulsive.

That seductive grin of his was back. “I look good, huh?”

“You know you do.”

“Our lives could end tonight. Do you really want to wait?” he asked as he closed the distance between them again.

Ava pushed his long, dark hair out of his face. “We’re not in danger as long as we’re on holy ground, right?”

“I’m going to make you pay for reminding me of that,” he said as he nipped her ear.

“Promise.”

He put her hand on his thick cock. “Fuck yes.”

CHAPTER NINE

Lincoln couldn’t stop looking at Ava. She had devoured two of the roast beef sandwiches, three snack size bags of chips, a bottle of water and a soda Olivia had packed.

“What?” she asked as she reached for some chocolate chip cookies. “I like to eat.”

“I’m not complaining.”

“Ah,” she said after swallowing a bite. “You’re used to the women who eat like birds. That’s never been me. I like food. A lot.”

Lincoln wasn’t sure how he was going to keep his hands off of her for another two nights. She was temptation and enticement, persuasion and fascination. She aroused him to the point of no return only to infuriate him in the next second. She kept him on his toes and in a constant state of arousal.
 

Ave was a seductress, an enchantress.
 

A siren.

And he prayed she never left his life.

“Christian’s back,” she said.

Lincoln looked over his shoulder to see Christian in the canoe, but he had someone else with him. Lincoln jumped to his feet when he recognized Solomon.

“Who is that?” Ava whispered when she came to stand beside him.

“The eldest LaRue, Solomon.”

Ava dusted off her hands. “I thought you said it would be difficult to get him here.”

“I thought it would be since he also turns during the full moon.”

She leaned closer. “Please tell me this Voodoo bitchress hasn’t sent another after me.”

Lincoln grinned at her. “I doubt it.” His grin faded when his gaze met Solomon’s. “But it can’t be good that he’s here.”

Kane, who had generally ignored Beau and Christian when they came, began to growl in warning, his fur standing on end as he stared at Solomon.

“He recognizes another werewolf,” Lincoln explained.

“Great. I’m all giddy,” she said sarcastically.

Solomon looked at Kane with the same blue eyes that Lincoln and his brothers had. That was the only similarity between their families. The LaRues had varying shades of blond hair. Solomon’s was a dark blond with strands of brown.

“He looks intimidating,” Ava said.

“We hunt in the bayous. They hunt in New Orleans. It’s a different beast all together.”

Lincoln nodded in greeting to Solomon. “Kane isn’t thrilled you’re here.”

“I’m not happy to be here,” Solomon stated flatly. “I had to come. For Kane. And for you.”

Lincoln glanced at Christian who merely shrugged in response. It wasn’t good news they brought then. Lincoln jerked his head to Ava. “This is Ava Ledet, who your brother is trying to kill.”

“Ledet,” Solomon repeated.

Lincoln took a step closer to the water. He didn’t like the way Solomon was looking at Ava as if she were a morsel he wanted to sample.

“Are you any kin to Jack Ledet?” Solomon asked.

Lincoln held Ava back when she leaned forward. She glanced at him but quickly answered Solomon. “Yes. Do you know him?”

“It all makes sense now,” Solomon said more to himself than the rest of them.

Lincoln inhaled deeply and gathered his control. “It might be helpful if you shared it with the rest of us.”

“Year’s ago Delphine’s niece became a vampire and wandered into the parish. Jack killed her.”

“Who is Delphine?” Ava asked.

Solomon looked at his brother again. “The Voodoo priestess. She discovered that Jack killed her niece, and she sent her people after him.”

Lincoln wrapped an arm around Ava as she sagged against him.
 
“Delphine had Jack brought to her for revenge, didn’t she?”

“Yes,” Solomon said.

Lincoln tightened his hold on Ava and asked, “Is Jack still alive?”

Solomon suddenly smiled. “He is. He’s been helping us.”

“That’s where he’s been? Locked away by this madwoman and then with you?” Ava asked, her voice breaking with emotion.

Solomon looked at Ava before shifting his eyes to Lincoln. “Delphine is a cunning bitch. She must have learned Jack had a daughter. That’s why she used Kane. She isn’t finished with her revenge.”

“You came all the way here to tell us that?” Lincoln wasn’t buying that for an instant.

“I came for Kane. The only one who can go up against him is another werewolf. You need me.”

Lincoln knew it was true. Now that they understood why Ava was targeted they could focus on fixing it. “What’s the plan?”

Solomon’s smile was cold and calculating. “We wait for the moon. I’ll...occupy...Kane. Your brothers will get you and Ava to the house.”

“Won’t Kane still come after me?” Ava asked.

Lincoln faced Ava and turned her to look at him. “Solomon will ensure that Kane is fighting him all night.”

“Even if Kane tracks you to the house, he won’t be able to get to you,” Christian said. “It’s also holy ground.”

Ava’s shoulder relaxed instantly. “And how soon can we do this?”

“It’s not going to be as easy as it sounds,” Lincoln warned her. “It’s going to take a lot for Kane to be distracted from you. Solomon is putting his own life in danger. He might be a werewolf, but they can still be killed, just like any other supernatural creature.”

“I understand,” Ava replied.

Lincoln looked at Christian in time to catch a stuffed backpack that was thrown his way. He grunted as he caught the bag and glared at Christian.

His brother merely smiled. “Ava, Olivia packed a change of clothes for you. There is also some aspirin and other things for you.”

“What did she pack me?” Lincoln asked.

Christian’s smile grew mischievous. “She didn’t mention you.”

“I’m wounded,” Lincoln teased to help lighten the mood for Ava. “I’m going to be her favorite brother-in-law.”

Christian rolled his eyes. “As if.”

“It’s time Vin found someone to carry on the Chiasson name,” Solomon said, instantly bringing down the mood.

Lincoln tossed the backpack aside.
 

“When are you going to take that step?” Christian asked Solomon.

“Not for a long while yet. I’m hoping one of my other brothers does it for me. Women are a hindrance.”

Christian shook his head and put his paddle back in the bayou. “Look for us when the moon rises. Remember, Linc, you’re not completely alone out here.”

“What did he mean by that?” Ava asked as they watched them drift away.

Lincoln looked around, wondering who was watching them, Vincent or Beau. “My brothers are taking shifts keeping an eye on us, but staying far enough away so they don’t draw Kane’s attention.”

“In other words, we’re being watched?” she asked, her eyes wide with mortification.

“We kissed. You could wear that expression if I’d actually taken you as I long to do.”

“Is that so?” she asked saucily.

Damn, but Lincoln couldn’t wait to get her alone to show her just how she tied him in knots.
 

And what he proposed to do about it.

~ ~ ~

Ava was grateful that Olivia packed a pair of cargo pants in the backpack. That, along with the aspirin, the cream for her bruises, and the ponytail holder to get her hair off of her neck had gone a long way to improving her mood.

If the morning had gone slowly, it was nothing compared to the time dragging through the rest of the afternoon. She didn’t think the sun would ever set. It was worse than when she was a little kid waiting anxiously for Christmas morning to see what Santa had brought her.

“Will the canoe come on shore? Or will we need to swim out?” she asked.

He shrugged as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest staring at Kane. “Won’t know until they get here and we see how Kane reacts to Solomon.”

“Right, right.” Was she ever nervous. It was worse than running from Kane that first night. “What happens if Kane doesn’t go after Solomon?”

“Then we don’t leave.”

She hated how calm Lincoln was being. She was being eaten alive by the mosquitoes, and Kane had scared years off of her life.

Ava wished she hadn’t eaten that last fig tart. Her nerves were so shaken that her stomach rolled. If she could fight off five men, she could keep her food down.

“My God, will the sun never go down?” she said in exasperation.
 

“Look at the sunset, Ava.”

“I have been.”

“No. Really look at it,” Lincoln said. He was beside her in an instant, turning her toward the setting sun. “Look at the colors. Tell me if you’ve ever seen anything so beautiful.”